Mohawk Racetrack facts for kids
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| Location | 9430 Guelph Line Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0 Canada  |
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| Owned by | Woodbine Entertainment Group |
| Date opened | April 26, 1963 |
| Course type | Flat Harness Racing |
| Notable races | Spring: SBOA Stakes, Miss Versatility, Graduate Series.
Summer: Armbro Flight, Goodtimes, Pepsi North America Cup, Fan Hanover, Roses Are Red, Mohawk Gold Cup, Canadian Pacing Derby, Maple Leaf Trot Casual Breeze, Eternal Camnation, Nassagaweya, Champlain Stakes, Simcoe Stakes. Fall: Canadian Trotting Classic, Elegantimage, Peaceful Way, William Wellwood Memorial, Metro Pace, Shes A Great Lady, Milton, Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals. Winter: Blizzard series, Snowshoe series. Year-round: Ontario Sires Stakes Gold and Grassroots series. |
Woodbine Mohawk Park is a famous place for harness racing in Milton, Ontario, Canada. It is owned by the Woodbine Entertainment Group. This group also owns Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Woodbine Mohawk Park is about 30 kilometers west of the Toronto track.
Besides horse racing, the park also has a casino called Elements Casino Woodbine. It has many slot machines. Some of the money from the casino helps to make the horse racing prizes bigger.
Contents
History of Woodbine Mohawk Park
The racetrack first opened on April 26, 1963. It was called Mohawk Racetrack back then. On opening day, 4,338 people came to watch the races.
The park was built on 400 acres of land. It cost $3.5 million to build. The barns could hold 828 horses, and there was parking for 3,000 cars. The very first Canadian Standardbred Horse Society Yearling Sale happened here.
A record number of people came on April 18, 1970. About 11,470 fans watched the International Drivers Competition. Drivers from eight different countries competed.
In October 1999, Mohawk Raceway hosted the Breeders Crown races for the first time. This event is known as the richest in Canadian harness racing history.
About the Track
The racing track is made of crushed limestone. It is ⅞ mile (about 1.4 kilometers) long. When it first opened, it was ⅝ mile (about 1 kilometer) long.
Up to ten horses can start a race side-by-side. The final stretch of the track is 1,095 feet (334 meters) long. The turns are designed to help horses speed up as they head towards the finish line.
Races usually happen on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Sometimes, races are also held on Tuesdays from June to early October. Races usually start at 7:10 PM, but special events might have different start times.
Exciting Races at Woodbine Mohawk Park
Many big harness racing events moved to Woodbine Mohawk Park in 2007. These races bring together some of the best horses and drivers.
Pepsi North America Cup
This race is for three-year-old pacers. It is Canada's richest race for pacers, with a prize of CA$1,000,000. Mohawk hosted this race for the first time in 2007. A horse named Tell All won that year.
Metro Pace
The Metro Pace is a one-mile race for two-year-old pacers. It is the richest harness race for young horses, with a prize of about $800,000. Many famous horses, like Artsplace and Somebeachsomewhere, have raced here. The fastest race time is 1:49.2, set by Captaintreacherous in 2012 and Sportswriter in 2009.
Canadian Trotting Classic
This is a one-mile race for three-year-old trotters. It is Canada's richest race for trotters, with a prize of $605,000. Great trotters like Muscle Hill and Kadabra have won this race. The current race record is 1:51.4, held by What The Hill.
Other Important Races
- She's A Great Lady Stakes: For two-year-old pacing fillies.
- Maple Leaf Trot: A one-mile trotting race for horses of all ages, started in 1950.
- Canadian Pacing Derby: For top pacers, with a prize of about $600,000. This race first happened in 1936.
- Fan Hanover Stakes: For three-year-old filly pacers.
- Elegantimage Stakes: For three-year-old filly trotters.
- Oakville Stakes: For two-year-old filly trotters.
- William Wellwood Memorial Trot: For two-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Woodbine Mohawk Park has also hosted the Breeders Crown many times. This is a very important series of races. The long-time announcer for the races is Ken Middleton.
